Thompson looking to 'keep it simple'

AUBURN | Riding an eight-game winning streak and nationally ranked for the first time in three years, No. 16 Auburn heads to Georgia this weekend for its first conference road series.

The Tigers, 18-5 overall and 3-0 in the SEC, are coming off a home sweep of Florida and won their first road game of the season Tuesday night at Georgia Tech.

Auburn is led by starting pitchers Keegan Thompson and Casey Mize, who are a combined 7-0 with an 0.56 ERA, and have been a big part of the team’s NCAA-leading seven shutouts. The defense has turned an SEC-best 23 double plays and an improved bullpen has the Tigers 4-2 in one-run games after going 1-11 last season.

Auburn coach Butch Thompson is hoping for more of the same this weekend.

“We have to keep it simple as you keep looking at every game on our schedule,” Thompson said. “If we’re outmatched from a roster standpoint most games, then what has been our success? And it’s just been us fighting for pitches and fighting together as a ball club.

“And then we have to get focused on us. I think our lineup is good because of all the pieces, not just one piece. We have a chance to have a different guy step up every day. So we can’t lose the ‘us’ component.”

Second baseman turned outfielder Jay Estes is Auburn’s hottest hitter with a .406 average and seven RBI over the past 10 games. Will Holland has started the last five games at second base and is the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week.

“It's probably the most fun I've had on a baseball field in a long time,” Estes said.

Senior outfielder Bo Decker, who has missed the last 13 games with an ankle injury, will travel with the team and be available to pinch-hit this weekend.

Georgia enters the series 9-13 overall and 0-3 in the SEC after being swept at LSU last weekend. The Bulldogs are last in the SEC with a 5.56 team ERA and have committed a league-worst 41 errors.

“You’ll have some left-handed hitters. You’ll have some power. Scott (Stricklin) is playing some young guys that he really believes in,” Thompson said. “When you do that and these guys are your best guys than for every one of these experiences they’ll grow and get better. They just went to Baton Rouge and played a pair of one-run games. All of those things benefit them and we’ll have our hands full.

“Nothing is ever played on paper. It’s going to be tight. Just like the last weekend, we swept but we could’ve had the loss of two out of three by just two pitches. I expect nothing different going to Athens this weekend.”

First pitch Friday at Foley Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Saturday’s game will be at 1 p.m. and Sunday’s at noon. All three games will be available on SECN+ and WatchESPN.